The Bloody Mary

The Bloody Mary, the perfect brunch-time, hair of the dog
cocktail to help bring you into the day. It’s true that they’re not for
everyone, although, even those that don’t like them will remember a strikingly
good Bloody Mary when they see one. Whatever sort of bar or restaurant you may
manage, you owe it to the tradition of the Bloody Mary to offer something
special.

Disputed History

You would think that a cocktail as exotic as the Bloody Mary has an origin story that would be rather easy to
pin down; alas (like many
other cocktails) this is not the case. There are numerous claimants
for the title of “The Inventor of The
Bloody Mary” the most popular and earliest claim comes from Fernand Petiot.
While Petiot was working at the New York Bar in Paris (later the infamous
Harry’s New York Bar), this claim is made by his granddaughter. She also states
that the name comes from a customer named Mary who worked at a club called
Bucket of Blood.

The second claim comes from the New York 21 Club, by bartender
Henry Zbikiewicz, who claims he invented it in the 1930s. A third claim made by
George Jessel, who was a ‘regular’ at the very same 21 Club. His drink of
choice was “half tomato juice, half vodka” dubbed “the Bloody Mary.”

As for the name? Some have attributed it to bar patrons, some say
Queen Mary I of England, others claim a handful of other historical figures.
It’s always difficult to get the whole truth in history, but adding vodka and
tomato juice will make you forget sometime.

A Standard Recipe

The Bloody Mary is an official IBA cocktail, which means there’s an
official ingredient list for it; although – unlike many other classics- recipes
can vary greatly from bar to bar. Here’s the official IBA ingredient list.

1.5oz Vodka

3oz Tomato juice

0.5oz Lemon juice

2-3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce

Tabasco

Celery Salt

Pepper

Glass: Highball

Garnish: Celery Stalk and Lemon Wedge

Preparation Method: Build in a shaker and roll with glass to mix
ingredients

Mixing It Up!

This is where Bloody Mary’s really come into their own! This is
where you get to put your own signature on your bar’s cocktail menu. So, let’s go
through all the elements you can change up to make your Bloody stand out from
the crowd!

Liquor – To add extra flavor to your Bloody you can infuse your
vodka with all manner of things: bacon, chili, herbs, spices, duck fat, etc.
You don’t have to use vodka. Many like a Bloody Maria, made with tequila, or
you can swap the vodka out for bourbon, gin, rum, or anything else you’d like
to use!

Ingredients – The tomato juice is a staple, but if you want to
change it out for clam-spiked tomato juice (for example: Clamato) then you’ll
be making a Bloody Caesar. It is worth noting that Bloody Mary mixes can be
bought, and whilst there are now some high-quality pre-mixes out there making
it in-house almost always produces the best results.

As for adding ingredients to the list, you can just do you, but
here are some popular suggestions: olive
brine, steak sauce, pickle juice, molasses, bitters, lime juice, garlic salt,
and horseradish.

Rims – It is becoming customary for Bloody Mary’s to be garnished with salt or a seasoned rim. For these, you can mix or flavor your own salts, or buy them pre-made. One of the most popular options for a Bloody Mary rim is a salt and Old Bay seasoning mix.

Garnishes are where you can really make your Bloody Mary stand out, this is where you can go crazy. Garnishes also make the drink very social media friendly, so here are some example garnish additions: olives, pepperoncini, celery, lime wedge, cheese cubes, bacon strips, shrimp, jalapeños, carrots, pickles, onion rings, mini sliders, and jalapeño poppers. Something worth noting is that celery is a staple garnish, and a Bloody without celery is often given a funny look; no matter how many other garnishes you put on there!

A good Bloody Mary is a sign of a quality bar program. If you can
produce a Bloody Mary that wows the taste buds and the eyes, then you’re sure
to get a good reputation and some free promotion on social media from your
guests.

Own your Bloody Mary! Look around your bar and your kitchen and
see what you can do to reinvent this phoenix of a classic.

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Benjamin Michael Beddow

Food and Beverage Professional

As a food and beverage professional for over ten years, Ben has spent most of his time behind the bar, giving him a broad and in-depth knowledge of all things drinkable and drink related. Now, as a traveling freelance writer exploring the gastronomy, drinks, and food service industry of the world, Ben has taken his knowledge and experiences to the world wide web to share with others. The love for the trade never dies and Ben can still be found running around restaurants and slinging drinks in ski resorts in the USA during the winter season.